 |
Pakistan: Sohr Damb/Nal
|
 |
|
Sohr Damb/Nal: Reconstruction of a prehistoric cultural complex in Balochistan (Pakistan)
Location
Sohr Damb is a small rural site (4 ha large, 13 m high) located at 1250 m amsl in a fertile basin near the village Nal, 50 km west of Khuzdar, Central Balochistan (Pakistan), at an important overland route to Iran, Afghanistan, the coast and the Indus valley in the east.
|
|
|
History
| |
|
|
| |
Sohr Damb. Ansicht von Südwesten
|
|
Between 4000 BC and 2000 BC, a number of widely distributed cultural complexes hallmark the cultural development in Balochistan: Togau, Nal, Quetta, and Kulli. First digs and one excavation carried out at the type site of one of these complexes, Sohr Damb/Nal brought to light a horizon marked by a technically and aesthetically particular pottery. However, the context, stratigraphy and date of this horizon remained unclear and is discussed controversially until today. Since no site in the highlands was excavated according to scientific standards during the last 50 years, many contemporary research topics cannot not be addressed, a deficit that is clearly noted in the Indus Valley research since Balochistan played a crucial role in the formation of the Indus Civilization.
|
|
Objectives
Due to the bad state of research, the possibility to carry out an excavation in this area opens several perspectives relevant to many aspects of cultural process. The target of the project is thus, in the widest sense, the "reconstruction of a prehistoric culture". It includes aspects of daily life, architecture, arts and technology, and burial customs as well as settlement patterns, prehistoric climate, and far-distance relations.
|
|
History of Research
| |
|
|
| |
Foundation wall with log of wood, section I (period III)
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
Nal-Keramik (Periode II)
|
|
The site and its pottery became famous through illegal digs and a first excavation by H.Hargreaves that took place shortly after the discovery of Mohenjo Daro and of a prehistoric urban civilization in India. Despite the research carried out by A. Stein, B. de Cardi, W. Fairservis and by J.-M. Casal in Nindowari until 1964, the archaeology of this region lacks, until today, reliable definitions of typological markers and chronological information.
This situation changed with French excavations in Mehrgarh and, since 1986, in Makran, but both sites are geographically and culturally distant from Central Balochistan. In 1996, the Joint German-Pakistani Archaeological Mission re-opened research in Southeastern Balochistan, leading to the discovery and documentation of 350 sites, dated to between 4300 BC and the 19th cent. AD. As a result, the settlement history of this region and its role prior to and during the Indus Valley Period is known much better now. This research is continued now around Sohr Damb, it opens the perspective to study regional diversity in and through time.
In 2001, two trenches were opened which run from the highest point towards virgin soil, over a vertical distance of 13 m. Following the discovery of further extensive settlement phases and a cemetery, the areas were extended since to ca. 2500 m2. The remains are assigned to four distinctive periods dating between 3800 BC and 2200 BC.
|
|
Previous Activities
| |
|
|
| |
Grabungsflächen I + IX (Periode III) |
|
The site and its pottery became famous through illegal digs and a first excavation by H.Hargreaves that took place shortly after the discovery of Mohenjo Daro and of a prehistoric urban civilization in India. Despite the research carried out by A. Stein, B. de Cardi, W. Fairservis and by J.-M. Casal in Nindowari until 1964, the archaeology of this region lacks, until today, reliable definitions of typological markers and chronological information.
This situation changed with French excavations in Mehrgarh and, since 1986, in Makran, but both sites are geographically and culturally distant from Central Balochistan. In 1996, the Joint German-Pakistani Archaeological Mission re-opened research in Southeastern Balochistan, leading to the discovery and documentation of 350 sites, dated to between 4300 BC and the 19th cent. AD. As a result, the settlement history of this region and its role prior to and during the Indus Valley Period is known much better now. This research is continued now around Sohr Damb, it opens the perspective to study regional diversity in and through time.
|
|
Current Work
| |
|
|
| |
Burnt Building, Section I |
|
In 2001, two trenches were opened which run from the highest point towards virgin soil, over a vertical distance of 13 m. Following the discovery of further extensive settlement phases and a cemetery, the areas were extended since to ca. 2500 qm. The remains are assigned to four distinctive periods dating between 3800 BC and 2200 BC.
|
|
Methods
| |
|
|
| |
Grab 739/740 (Periode I) |
|
Since 2002, excavations focus on the Period I cemetery and the residential structures from Periods II and III, particularly their plans, building technology, inventories, and development through time. Stratified contexts that contain a large number of vessels are the basis for a new typological scheme and for a study of intra-site variability through time.
The study of functional contexts, intra-site variability and shifting patters of site use through three dimensional recording of contexts and statistical analyses. The reconstruction of the prehistoric environment through the morphological and chemical analyses of human and animal bones, and the plant remains.
|
|
Results
| |
|
|
| |
Keramik aus Grab 738 (Periode I) |
|
| |
|
|
| |
Bestattung aus Periode II |
|
| |
|
|
| |
Pottery from Period II |
|
| |
|
|
| |
Keramik (Periode III) |
|
| |
|
|
| |
Stierfigur (Periode III) |
|
| |
|
|
| |
Keramik (Periode III) |
|
The rich and well-stratified material assemblage from Sohr Damb facilitates, for the first time, the closer definition of the above-mentioned cultural complexes, and the establishment of a sound typological scheme. The comparative chronology based on this evidence is supplemented by a growing number of radiocarbon dates.
The data show that contemporary regional variation was more pronounced than assumed and that the model of a continuous development from the Neolithic through the Iron Age and beyond that is favoured in contemporary research is now challenged by stratigraphic, stylistic, and technological information from Sohr Damb which point to repeated episodes of change.
Period I (Togau) marks the initial settlement. Discovered in a small sounding underneath the old excavation, beneath the yet undisturbed Period II stone foundations a cemetery containing graves with multiple fractional secondary burials came to light. Small chambers contain remains of up to 16 individuals and many grave goods, mostly pottery and beads. The pottery belongs to the Togau and Kechi Beg pottery tradition, which were widely spread in Balochistan after 4000 BC. The settlement lies to the east of the cemetery, but is covered by 6m high younger deposits.
With the beginning of Period II (Nal) many changes are evident in the material culture, the architectural plans, techniques, technology, and style. The few burials found show a shift towards complete individual inhumations. The Nal pottery reveals a large spectrum of shapes and decorations, including common or domestic wares; polychrome decorations and elaborate figurative designs. The houses comprise of small rooms, many with basins containing husks, storage jars, bone and stone tools for food preparation, bull figurines, and beads. (FOTO 14: House from Period II, Trench VI).
The discovery of an extensive subsequent occupation (Period III) that shows relations to northern Baluchistan, Mehrgarh, Mundigak in Afghanistan and Shahr-e Sokhta in Iran came as a surprise. The excavation of the 6m thick cultural deposits have firmly placed this horizon into the time of ca 2700-2400 BC. Houses and rooms are larger, lime or mud floors are common, and wood is used as timber. In all rooms, extensive inventories were unearthed, mostly pottery, but also bull figurines, stone and bone tools, and beads. Polychromy and the classical Nal- patterns are no longer present. Metallurgy, probably including silver working, small handicrafts and pottery production took place on site.
The last Period IV (Kulli-Harappan) is preserved only in eroded layers. The pottery belongs to the Kulli-Harappan horizon that combines features of the local Kulli style with those from the Indus Civilisation. That the former is attested to at sites in the wider area, but not at Sohr Damb itself, is important with regard to the nature of cultural relations at this time, and this question has to be tackled in future.
Afterwards, the mound, and, in fact the whole region, were deserted for 1500 years. The reasons for this development are under discussion. The zoological and botanical analyses indicate that environmental conditions did not change considerably, therefore, desertification and increasing aridity probably were no major factors in this development. Also, the shift of riverbeds is no explanation in this terrain, as it is in the Indus plain proper.
|
|
Cooperation
The project is carried out in collaboration with the Department of Archaeology and Museums, Government of Pakistan, Islamabad. Further partners are Dr. N. Benecke (Palaeozoology), Dr. J. Görsdorf (C14-Lab.), Dr. R. Neef (Palaeobotany), all DAI, and C. Buquet, CNRS Paris (Anthropology).
|
|
Contact
PD Dr. Ute Franke
Telefon: 03018-7711-325
Telefax: 03018-7711-313
Email: ufv@eurasien.dainst.de
|
|
Sponsors
1996 - 2001: Foreign office of the Federal Republic of Germany; Freie Universitaet Berlin; Eurasian department of the German Archaeological Institute; Pasminco Exploration Lmt.; LASMO Exploration Pakistan Lmt.; Swiss Air
|
|
Bibliography
Benecke,N. & Neef,R. 2005 Faunal and Plant Remains from Sohr Damb/Nal: A Prehistoric Site (c. 4000 -- 2000 BC) in Balochistan (Pakistan). In: Franke-Vogt,U. & J.Weishaar (eds.), South Asian Archaeology 2003, Forschungen zur Archäologie Außereuropäischer Kulturen Band 1, Aachen, 81-93
Franke-Vogt,U. 2000, The Archaeology of Southeastern Balochistan. Internet-Publikation mit 130 Fotos. Http://www.harappa.com/baluch
Franke-Vogt,U 2005a ,Excavations at Sohr Damb/Nal in 2002, in Franke-Vogt, U and Weisshaar, J (eds.), South Asian Archaeology 2003, Forschungen zur Archäologie Außereuropäischer Kulturen Band 1, Aachen, 59-72
Franke-Vogt,U 2005b ,Sohr Damb/Nal, Baluchistan, Pakistan Ergebnisse der Grabungen 2001, 2002 und 2004, Archäologische Mitteilungen aus Iran und Turan Band 35-36, 2003-2004, 83-141
Goersdorf,J. 2005 Radiocarbon Dates from Sohr Damb/Nal, Balochistan. In: Franke-Vogt,U. & J.Weishaar (eds.), South Asian Archaeology 2003, Forschungen zur Archäologie Außereuropäischer Kulturen Band 1, Aachen, 77-80
Franke-Vogt,U 2006 Alte Kulturen neu entdeckt. Antike Welt 2/2006, 85-93
|
|
